Information for New Students in the Advanced Class

Welcome to The Advanced Class

Expectations of Advanced Students:
1. You are absolutely required to come to class and return from the break on time
- If you come late, I will mark you as late. Two “lates” = 1 absence
- If you come 15 minutes late I will mark you as absent
- You may not come into the classroom if you are 20 minutes late
2. Turn off your cell phone during class
3. Use ONLY English in the classroom

Weekly Requirements of Advanced Students:
Every advanced student has a portfolio. Your portfolio is a folder that helps you follow your own progress through the class. Every week, you’ll need to add some things to your portfolio. You may choose to work on what you like, but you must complete all of the tasks by the end of the week.

1. Your Journal- Your portfolio includes a journal. Every week you should write at least three journal entries every week. Journal entries should be about 300 words, and can be on any topic. Generally journal entries talk about what is going on in your life now.
2. Vocabulary- You are responsible for learning about 20 new vocabulary words every week. You must complete vocabulary cards or vocabulary sheets for each word every week.
3. Essay- You are expected to write one 300 word essay every week. TOEFL Students should follow the TOEFL format for this essay.
4. Practical Assignments and Homework- In addition to your weekly requirements, you may also have homework or practical assignments.

Tests and Assessment:

· Every Monday you will have a test of the grammar, vocabulary and concepts we’ve learned during the week, as well as a speaking test.

· On Mondays, I’ll also meet one on one with you to talk about your progress. We’ll look at your portfolio together during this time.

· Your ISR is a report that Kaplan keeps of your class participation and academic progress. If you are a scholarship student, a copy of your ISR is given to your government every 5 weeks.

Class Changes

Dear students,
I will be leaving the High Intermediate class in December to teach the Advanced class. This is sad for me, because as you know, I love High Intermediate, but I look forward to teaching the advanced class, where I will see most of you again. Happy New Year!

Changes for Vocabulary Day

Hi Dear Students,

We're going to have some changes in the way we do vocabulary day tomorrow.

According to Aisha's suggestion, we'll be using cards instead of sheets to learn vocabulary. Thanks, Aisha!

You'll also be responsible for teaching your words to the other students, rather than moving in groups as before!

I hope this makes learning vocabulary easier for everyone.

AS usual, you are welcome to bring snacks to enjoy during vocabulary day.

Goodbye Mohammed

Mohammed Hawidi is moving to TOEFL Class! Goodbye and Good Luck!

Battle of the Grammar Masters!

Listening Help

Do you want to improve your listening?

Here are some things you can do:

1. Ask Julia at the front desk to borrow listening materials.

2. Watch movies in English with English Subtitles.

3. Watch TV and listen to the radio while you are doing other things. Don't try to understand, just get used to the sounds.

4. Join the English Podcast: http://www.eslpod.com/website/

5. Listen to slow, clear news from VOA: http://esl.podomatic.com/

6. Listen to people read essays and read them at NPR: http://www.thisibelieve.org/

7. Listen to stories about American Culture at This American Life: www.thislife.org

Remember! You can study grammar but you can only improve listening by practicing! The more you listen to and use English, the more quickly you will improve.

Goodbye, Silvy and Olga!

We are really going to miss Silvy and Olga who are moving to David's TAE class! Good luck ladies!

Tonight's Homework

Tonight's homework is pages 274 and 275 in the grammar book.

Did you go to the Haunted Prison?

If you took pictures at the haunted prison, please send them to me for the site!

Listening Class- Barack Obama Yes We Can Speech

Listening class students, you can find Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" speech here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe751kMBwms

The TEXT of the speech is here:

http://www.culturekitchen.com/liza/blog/text_barack_obamas_speech_in_new_hampshire

Silvy's Homework Page

Hi Everyone- Here is Silvy's extra homework page, which you can try:

Find the mistakes !

1. Kaplan intakes a lot of Korean students.


2. The patients in the hospital are lethal.


3. Brittany Spears’s divorse is not a newsworthy.


4. I was despair when my grandmother died.


5. They were married, but now they have disengaged from eatch other.


6. Our teacher is a repetitive woman.


7. I got a perspective on English by studying hard.


8. He is my underlying friend.


9. We odds are will win the challenge.


10. I regardless of his bad attitude like him.


11. I immobilized the car accident.


12. The party is not newsworthy news.


13. Regardless of study, I fail.

New Students

We have three new students today,

Abdussalam Elsenousi, a doctor from Libya

Su Ah Jung, an Industrial Engineering major from Korea

and Jin Young Yi, an English Linguistics major who is also from Korea.

Please make them feel welcome!

Vocabulary Day, Unit 1

Tonight's Homework:
16 Definitions
32 Sentences

Read pgs 270-271 in the Grammar Book
Do the exercise on pg. 273

Welcome to Cara's High Intermediate Blog

Hi Everyone!

I hope this blog will be useful to you! I'll try to add new information to help you study. I'll also include class photos, homework, events and other information! Please give me suggestions to help with the blog, and please leave comments and questions here!!

Thanks!
Cara